Indian director Indu Lakshmi presented her second feature film, “The Other Side,” in the Eastern Vista competition section of the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival. The film tells the story of Janaki, a teenage girl struggling to hold her fractured family together as her mother sinks into depression. In this interview, Lakshmi reflects on poetic cinema, the growing role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, and the influence of Iranian cinema on her work.
The focus of this edition of the Fajr International Film Festival was poetic cinema. Do you consider “The Other Side” a poetic film?
If anyone finds poetry in my film, I feel truly happy and excited. However, I did not consciously try to create a poetic work. We faced serious financial and production limitations, but despite everything, I believe the core emotions I wanted to convey found their way into the film as much as possible.
Artificial intelligence has become a widely discussed topic in filmmaking today. What is your perspective on its impact?
AI is becoming increasingly popular, and everything ultimately comes down to budget. I do not work with large financial resources, so I actively think about whether my next film could be made using AI. At the moment, we are only able to generate very short sequences, but I believe this technology will grow. For filmmakers like me, the visual world often exists very clearly in our minds, and we constantly try to translate it into reality. AI could significantly simplify this process and open new creative possibilities. That said, true human inspiration – rooted in lived experience, nature, and reality – can never be replaced by artificial intelligence.
Has Iranian cinema been a source of inspiration for you?
Absolutely. Iranian cinema, especially its poetic and emotional depth, has had a strong influence on me. I did not initially expect my film to be selected for this festival, so its inclusion was a wonderful surprise, and I was deeply happy about it.
Are there specific Iranian films or filmmakers that have influenced you?
There are many, and I find it difficult to single out specific titles. What consistently moves me in Iranian cinema is its raw honesty and its universality. Human emotions, vulnerability, and the quiet details of everyday life are portrayed in a way that transcends cultural boundaries. Even when we are unfamiliar with the context, we still connect emotionally – we laugh and cry together. That is something truly special and rare in cinema.
